Carton



D. L. CRANE Dec. 4, 1934.

CARTON Filed Oct. 16, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l Invcnior fillomey D. L. CRANE Dec. 4, 1934.

CARTON Filed Oct 16, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I nvcni or flllomey 2.1; .C ra'ne Patented Dec. 4, 1934 ii M f 1, 82 931 PATENT o FFIcE h g "CARTON Q l Donald 'L Orane, Tacoma, Wash. h I I Application October 16, 1933, Serial'No'. 693,875

3 Claims.

This invention relates to the class of paper receptacles and has more particular reference to cartons, and especially to cartons designed for holding eggs.

The object of the present invention is to provide what may be termed a carton Within a carton and consists briefly in the provision of an outer casing and. an inner casing, both being col- 4 lapsible and provided with means whereby the inner carton will spring into an unfolded condition to receive the eggs before the insertion into the outer carton. Prior to the placing of the eggs into the innercarton, and when both cartons n are fitted together the entire carton is collapsible.

a The invention together with its objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the carton embodying the features of the present invention.

Figures 2 and 3 are sectional views taken substantially on the lines 2-2 and 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an end elevational view of the inner.

carton, the same being shown in a partially collapsed or folded condition and Figure 5 is a plan view of the blank from which the inner carton is formed. Referring to the drawings by reference numerals it will be seen that the carton comprises an outer collapsible casing indicated generally by the reference numeral 10. The casing 10 may be of any suitable construction and formed from cardboard or any other suitable material.

Adapted for disposition within the carton 10 is the inner carton 11. As shown the inner earton 11 is formed from a substantially rectangular blank of cardboard or other suitable material shaped and dimensioned to fit within the outer carton 10 and to provide a pair of parallel troughs 12 and a cover part 13 common to the troughs 12 and provided with two rows of egg accommodating openings or apertures 14, there being one row of such apertures for each trough 12, so as to accommodate the eggs 15 in a manner clear from a study of Figures 1 and 3.

In forming the structure just described the blank from which the inner carton is formed, is, as shown in Figure 5 foldable on lines 16, 17, providing between the lines 16, 17 the apertured top 13 and the outer side wall 18, 19 for the trough 12.

The blank is also foldable on the straight parallel fold lines 20, 21, 22 and 23 so as to provide for the trough 12, bottoms 24 and the oppositely inclined inner sides 25.

When the carton has been folded on the lines indicated the edge portion of the blank at the fold line 26 is placed in overlapping relation with the edge portion of the blank at the fold line 23 H p and these overlapping edge portions are then adhesively' secured together.

From the above it will be apparent that the inner carton is collapsible, and to provide for the substantially automatic unfolding of the inner carton prior to the placement of the same 4 within the outer carton there is provided at each end of the inner carton a suitable elastic device 2'7 and these elastic devices are disposed about the end portions of one of the troughs 12 in a manner clear from the drawings. In the present instance each of the elastic devices 27 is in the form of a rubber band that extends across the 1 bottom 24, sides 19, 25 and top 13 of a trough for resiliently holding the inner carton in its unfolded condition. To accommodate the rubher band the blank is provided at each end of the top 13 with a notch 28, and with notches 29 at the ends of the fold line 22 alining with the notches 28 as will be clear from a study of Figures 3 to 5 inclusive.

From the above it will be seen that when the inner carton is in a partially folded or collapsed state as shown in Figure 4 the elastic elements 27 will be placed under tension. In the condi- M tion shown in Figure 4 the inner carton may be inserted into the outer carton and when the hand is removed from the inner carton, the same under action of the elastic elements 27 will spring into the unfolded condition shown in Figure 3 to thereby provide the individual troughs 24 for receiving the eggs 15 arranged within the openings 14.

It will also be apparent that the inner carton may be used as a holder for the eggs independ- M ently of the outer carton and with the eggs properly positioned on the inner carton, the latter may be removed from the outer carton without danger of the inner carton collapsing.

For strengthening the inner carton at the ends A of the troughs 12 there are secured to the top and bottom faces of the blank from which said carton is formed reinforcing strips 30, 31 which may be formed of relatively stifi cardboard and which are adhesively secured to the blank. The reinforcing strips 30, 31 will serve to prevent 1 the rubber bands from cutting through the blank 1 from which the inner carton is formed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

collapsible outer carton and a collapsible inner carton, said inner carton including two integral troughs and a top common to the troughs and provided with a series of article accommodating openings for each trough, and elastic means connected with said inner carton for resiliently retaining the same in an unfolded condition.

2. A carton within a carton, the inner carton being formedv from a single blank shaped and dimensioned to provide a pair of, integral troughs and an'integral cover common to said troughs, said troughs having oppositely inclined inner walls foldable at their upper edges relative to one another on a fold line extending substantially through the longitudinal median of said cover, said cover at each end thereof provided with a notch in line with the longitudinal median of said cover, and said blank at the ends of the aforementioned fold line between the inner walls of said troughs being also notched and having said notches in alinement with the first named notches, and elastic elements extending about one of said troughs at each end thereof and having portions engaging in alined notches, said elastic elements tending to retain the said inner carton in an extended or unfolded condition.

3. In a device, of the character described, a collapsible carton comprising a cardboard blank crease to provide a pair of integral troughs and a cover common to the troughs, there being notches formed in said cover and at the junction of the inner walls of said troughs at opposite ends of the troughs for the reception of an elastic band, and elastic bands surrounding one of the troughs at the ends of said one trough.

- DONALD L. CRANE. 

